Connecting means



Nov. 28, 1967 H. J. KLAEUI CONNECTING MEANS Filed March 22 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IIHIIIIIHHI QWW BY ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1967 H. J. KLAEUI3,354,672

CONNECTING MEANS Filed March 22, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HANSJ. KLAEUI ATTORNEY United States Patent f 3,354,672 CONNECTING MEANSHans J. Klaeui, Shrewsbury, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles-Malimo,Inc., Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 22,1965, Ser. No. 441,462 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-84) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSUREConnections of machine elements to shafts wherein an extension of theelement encloses, and is clamped to the shaft by a split collar.

This invention relates to clamping mechanism for driving means such asgears and cams in knitting machinery where there are more than onedriving means on and being driven by a common shaft and whose operationsare so related as to require synchronism.

It is an object of the invention to provide clamping mechanism for thevarious drive means so that they can be adjusted on a drive shaft withrespect to each other.

It is another object of the invention to provide the driving means withsleeves on which clamping means can be applied, the clamping means beingeffective when tightened to secure the driving means to the shaft.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clampingmechanism in the form of a collar having multiple gripping surfaces onits inner circumference which are effective to grip any one of thedriving means on its drive shaft through a sleeve integral with thedriving means when the inner diameter of the collar is reduced.

Still another object of the invention is to provide each of the drivingmeans with an integral sleeve which is deformable to hold the drivingmeans against the shaft when a clamping collar which surrounds it istightened.

A still further object of the invention is to provide at least one ofthe driving means with a clamping collar which also acts as acounterweight.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description in conjunction with the drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the drive for loop forming knitting needlesand thread guides for a knitting machine,

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of the drive taken along line 2-2, FIG.1,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the horizontaldriver for the thread guides shown in FIG. 4 with the invention appliedthereto,

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section on line 44, FIG. 3,

FIGURE 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5, FIG. 3,

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the motions of a thread guideabout two loop-forming knitting needles,

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective of a modified form of sleeveconstruction for any of the driving means,

FIGURE 8 is an elevation of the clamping means for the needle drivemeans.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown mechanism for producingchain-stitched rows of warp thread loops which can be joined together ona knitted fabric. This mechanism forms part of a knitting machine likethat shown in Patent No. 3,030,786 and comprises knitting needles 2,each having a fixed hook 4 like a crochet needle. These needles arefastened in holders 6 which are attached to a needle bar 8.

Operated in synchronism with the loop-forming knitting needles arethread guides 10 which are supplied with 3,354,672 Patented Nov. 28,1967 stitching yarn 12 and serve to insert the yarn into the hooks 4 ofthe needles 2. Holders 13 of the thread guides 10 are fastened to aguide bar 14 and for the just-men tioned purpose, are effectivelyrevolved about the axes oi the needles at the proper time.

The needle bar 8 carrying the needles 2 is actuated by 2 first eccentricdrive means generally indicated at 15 and including a connecting rod 16extending from an eccentric rod 17 linked to a strap 18 of an eccentric20 which is rotated by a motor driven shaft 22 supported by a housing24. The guide bar 14 for the thread guides 10 is fixedly mounted on ashaft 26 through a lever arm 28. This shaft, being rotatably mountedwithin bearings 30, is adapted to slide longitudinally back and forthand carries a short lever 32.

Lever 32 is connected with a coupling rod 33 linked to an eccentric rod34. Rod 34 with its strap 35 encloses an eccentric 36, which by means ofan intermediate connecting rod 37, moves the thread guides up and down.This last described driving means forms a second eccentric drive meansindicated generally by the reference character 31. In addition to thisreciprocating movement, the thread guides must undergo an axiallytransverse back and forth movement in order to insert threads into thehooks of the needle 2. This is accomplished by a third eccentric drivemeans indicated generally by the reference character 43. As shown inFIGURE 6, the path of the thread guides 10 appears as a figure eight.

Each of the thread guides circles around two adjacently mounted knittingneedles 2 and to cause each thread guide to alternately supply twoknitting needles with yarn, each time at the moment when one of theneedles has reached its foremost position and the thread guide haspassed the highest point of its upward movement. For this purpose, thethread guides 10 and the shaft 26 carrying the same are operated toperform one complete back and forth movement while the needles 2 aremoved twice back and forth by the third eccentric drive means. Drivemeans 43 includes a pinion 38 clamped to the shaft 22 and a spur gear 39of twice the size of and engaged by said pinion. Consequently, the spurgear rotates at one-half the speed of shaft 22.

Said spur gear 39 is fixedly connected with an eccentric 40 whosestrapmember 41 is linked by an eccentric rod 42 to a connecting rod 44axially slidable in a bearing 45. When in operation, the rod 44 and itslinkage 46 impart axial reciprocations to the shaft 26 by actuating anangle lever 48 rotatably mounted on a pivot 49. A tension spring 50fastened about the shaft 26 between one of the bearings 30 and theadjacent lever arm 28 of the guide bar 14 aids the axially oscillatingmovement by forcing the shaft against an adjusting screw 51 connectingthe free end of angle lever 48 to that of shaft 26.

From the foregoing it is seen how the first, second and third eccentricdrive means operate in synchronism so that the thread guide It) willmove with respect to the knitting needles 2 in the manner shown in FIG.6.

In order to be able to adjust any of the driving means with respect toeach other, pinion 3S and eccentrices 20 and 36 are adjustably held indriving relation to the driver shaft 22 by clamping collars 52.

Clamping collars 52 each comprise a ring 54 having a transverse slot 56which forms an opening from the inner circumference 58 to the outercircumference 6d, and a stud 62 which extends across slot 56 by passingthrough holes 64 and 65 in the ring 54. Hole 64 is large enough for thethreaded portion 66 of the screw 62 to pass through but not large enoughfor the head 67. Hole 65 is tapped to receive the threaded portion 66 ofthe stud 62. The inner circumference 58 of the ring 54 is not a uniformsurface, being formed with alternate grooves 68 and ridges 70.

Pinion 38, cam 20 and cam 36 are each provided with .n integral sleeve72 which extends along the shaft 22. k clamping collar 52 fits on eachof the sleeves 72. For ach collar 52, when the stud 62 is turned in onedirecion so as to advance in tapped hole .65 it tends to reduce he innerdiameter 58 of the collar 52 and causes the idges 70 to press againstthe sleeve 72 which in turn )IGSSCS against the shaft 22 to keep thepinion 38 in ight holding relation with the shaft. In order for the.leeve 72 to hold tightly against the shaft 22 it must be leformedsomewhat by the collar 52. This can be accomilis'hed by making thesleeve of relatively thin cross-section is shown in FIG. 4 or by havingslots 73 to form sections 75 as shown .in FIG. 7. After the machine hasbeen assemiled for operation it may be found necessary to adjust hetiming of the first, second and third drive means one with respect tothe others. This may be necessary due to iuch factors as the use ofdifferent types of yarns as to itifiness, size, elasticity, permanentstretch, etc.

This can be accomplished by turning the studs 62 in :he oppositedirection from which they were turned to tighten the clamping collars52. This will loosen the collars 52 and free the sleeves 72 from theshaft 22 to allow the pinion 38, eccentric cam 20, or eccentric cam 36to the desired position relative to the shaft upon which the studs arethen turned in the direction to again cause collars S2 to clamp theirrespective drive members to the shaft.

It is seen that the clamping mechanism just described allows greaterflexibility with respect to the synchronous timing of the difierentdriving means of a knitting machine and also being effective to holddriving means in tight driving relation with the main drive shaft whenthey are not being adjusted.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 8, the clamping collars 52 for the first andsecond eccentric drive means each have an enlarged portion 74 which actsas a counterweight, said clamping collars being indicated generally bythe reference character 76. Portion 74 extends radially from the rest ofthe collar and is disposed about 180 from the slot 56, and also mayinclude holes 78. As shown in FIGURE 1, there are two collars 76 forboth the first and second drive means for dynamic balance. It may benecessary to change the collars 74 which clamp cam 20 due to differenttypes of yarn, different types of fabric, change in needle gauge or achange in the length of stitch. In this case the collars 76 can be veryeasily removed as previously described for collars 52 and new collars 76with differences in the area 74 can be used. The difference in the area74 may include more or less material, difference in the size andposition of holes 78, or a difference in shape depending on the knittingconditions to be met.

Having described the invention what is now claimed is:

1, In a knitting machine for producing a textile fabric, said machinehaving a row of knitting needles, a first eccentric drive means toreciprocate said knit-ting needles, a plurality of thread guides forlaying warp thread onto said knit-ting needles, a second eccentric drivemeans for reciprocating said thread guides in a vertical directionrelative to said row of knitting needles and a third eccentric drivemeans for reciprocating said thread guides in a direction parallel tosaid row of knitting needles, a common drive shaft, connecting means toadjustably connect all of the aforementioned eccentric drive means, saidconnecting means comprising:

(a) a tubular sleeve having a continuous unbroken wall connected to eachof said eccentric drive means, said sleeve extending along said driveshaft,

(b) a clamping collar surrounding said unbroken wall,

and

(c) means to reduce the internal diameter of said collar to cause it toforce said sleeve against said shaft in tight holding relationshiptherewith.

2. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said clampingcollars comprises:

(a) a ring having a transverse slot forming an opening from the inner tothe outer circumference of the clamping member,

(b) a stud extending across said slot through appropriate holes in saidring, one of said holes being tapped to receive the screw of said stud,so that when the stud is turned in one direction it draws the edgeswhich define said opening closer together to reduce the inner'diameterof said ring,

(c) a plurality of ridges on the inner surface of said ring, said ridgesbeing effective to force the sleeve onto said shaft when the innerdiameter of the ring is reduced by the action of the stud.

3. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sleeve is of thinwall thickness so as to be deformed by said ridges when said collar istightened.

4. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein said clamping collars forfirst and second eccentric drive means are each characterized by anenlarged segmented portion whose radius is greater than that of theremaining portion of the collar and is disposed from the slot in thecollar. said enlarged segmented portions acting as counterweights withfirst and second eccentric drive means.

5. Connecting means for connecting drive elements to a shaft, saidconnecting means comprising:

(a) a tubular sleeve having a continuous unbroken wall connected to eachsaid drive elements and extending axially about the shaft;

(b) a split clamping collar surrounding said unbroken wall; and

(0) means to reduce the internal diameter of said collar to cause it toforce said sleeve against said shaft in tight holding relationshiptherewith.

6. The mechanism as set forth in claim 5 wherein said clamping collarcomprises:

(a) a ring having a transverse slot forming an opening from its inner toits outer circumference; and

(b) means to urge the walls of said transverse slot together to therebyreduce the inner diameter of said ring.

7. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 6 wherein said ring has aplurality of circumferential ridges on its inner circumference, saidridges being effective to deform portions of the sleeve into clampingrelationship with said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,116,845 11/1-914 Rogers 287S21,328,688 1/1920 Pond 2'87-52 1,687,806 11/1928 Strong 308236 X1,778,822 10/ 1930 Ackerman 308-236 X 1,821,877 9/1931 Bowne 308-236 X2,890,579 6/1959 Mauersberger 66192 3,051,372 8/1962 Rockafield 287523,127,784 4/ 1964 ONeill 287-52 3,276,828 11/ 19.66 Mansfield 3 08236MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A TEXTILE FABRIC, SAID MACHINEHAVING A ROW OF KNITTING NEEDLES, A FIRST ECCENTRIC DRIVE MEANS TORECIPROCATE SAID KNITTING NEEDLES, A PLURALITY OF THREAD GUIDES FORLAYING WARP THREAD ONTO SAID KNITTING NEEDLES, A SECOND ECCENTRIC DRIVEMEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID THREAD GUIDES IN A VERTICAL DIRECTIONRELATIVE TO SAID ROW OF KNITTING NEEDLES AND A THIRD ECCENTRIC DRIVEMEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID THREAD GUIDES IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TOSAID ROW OF KNITTING NEEDLES, A COMMON DRIVE SHAFT, CONNECTING MEANS TOADJUSTABLY CONNECT ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ECCENTRIC DRIVE MEANS, SAIDCONNECTING MEANS COMPRISING: